Investigating the Association of Criminal Behavior With Childhood Traumas, Impulsivity, and Dominant Temperaments in Bipolar I Disorder

Murad Atmaca, MD^c; Filiz Özsoy, MD^a; Gülay Taşcı, MD^b

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2022;24(4):21m03103

ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine impulsivity, dominant temperaments, and childhood trauma in patients with bipolar I disorder who committed crimes by comparing them with bipolar I patients with no criminal history and with healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 144 subjects in 3 groups (62 criminal history bipolar patients, 40 non-criminal bipolar patients, and 42 controls) participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Autoquestionnaire). Subjects were enrolled in the study between April 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020.

Results: The mean age was higher (P = .029) and education level lower (P = .045) among the criminal history bipolar patients than the other 2 groups. Of quantitative variables, physical abuse and emotional abuse subscales and total CTQ score were significantly higher in both patient groups compared to healthy controls (P < .001 for all scores). For dominant temperament, hyperthymic temperament scores of the criminal history bipolar group were higher than that of the control group (P < .001).

Conclusions: Patients with bipolar I disorder were found to have experienced more childhood traumas, and the criminal history bipolar group and those who were admitted to prison had suffered more physical abuse. Hyperthymic temperament was dominant in bipolar I patients involved in crime. Taking into account the temperaments of bipolar I disorder in treatment plans and providing psychosocial support to these patients could help prevent violent behaviors and the possibility of crime.

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